Hi, Just my thinking on this. I totally agree with Che. There is just no way that the mainstream gaming developers will begin to really notice us. There are just too many sited gamers and not enough blind interest. But I think that what you’re forgetting are the online games. There are tuns of online games that could be improved and could become playable for the blind. True, the blind might not be able to game on a level with an X-box, but we can certainly work with accessability when it comes to online games, because, especially with massively multi-player games, the game doesn’t stop. It doesn’t have a shelf-life. And that’s why we should be getting those developers to make axcess improvements for their games, the online games. Best, Nick
On 8/15/09, Thomas Ward <thomasward1...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi, > And while we are at it here is another thing to keep in mind. Even if, > miricles of miricles, all the mainstream companies decided to start > making their games accessible that would only apply to new and up coming > titles. What about the hundreds perhaps thousands of titles currently on > the market already? > I can pretty much tell you what will happen. Many people on this list > would begin badgering the mainstream companies to go back and rewrite or > upgrade this and that title so they could play it. That simply would not > be at all cost effective. Especially, since game titles have a short > shelf life relatively speaking. Once the title has sold x number of > copies it is done and over with as far as the company is concerned. > Asking them to go back and upgrade all those games to be accessible > would be impossible. At the very least extremely prohibitively expensive > with very little financial return. > For example, most of the accessible games out there are written in VB 6 > and use DirectX 8. Both technologies are rather old, technically > speaking, and I'd like to see them all be updated to something newer > like VB .NET with SlimDX or C# .NET with SlimDX. However, asking > accessible game developers to do that is not very realistic or > practical. Too much time and work went into the games the first time, > and rewriting them to match current programming standards/specifications > would be a major undertaking. One with very little financial return. It > would be better for the developer to start out with a newer programming > language, newer game API, and a fresh game idea rather than try and go > back and rewrite all their old games in the hopes of trying to keep up > with technology changes. That's exactly how the mainstream game > companies would see it. > In the end even if mainstream companies decide to take up the cause for > game accessibility we are still going to lose out on a lot of good > games. It is expensive, not very practical, or in their best interests > to go back and upgrade everything just to satisfy a small market. As > much as it pains me to say it sometimes we just have to have to accept > this is how things are, and probably always will be in our life time. > > Che wrote: >> >> ----- I hate to be a defeattist, but this is a lost cause guys. >> As mentioned again and again, blind gamers don't even register on >> mainstream companies radars. >> The problem here it seems to me is people think " Oh, they just need >> to change this or that and we could have accessibility to this game" >> But it isn't that easy, in fact it is quite man hour intensive, and >> there is no way these game companies can recoup the loss in salary for >> the work. >> Consider this somewhat overblown analogy: >> It is technically possible for blind people to drive cars. a system >> has been developed by Mercedes Benz where cars can recognize where >> other cars are located front to back. , systems could be developed to >> tell you where to turn, automatically break at the proper places, etc. >> Why aren't we all jumping up and down demanding this be done? Because >> we all know it would cost ungodly amounts of money and infrastructure >> re design to get it done. It simply isn't going to happen. If you ran >> a mainstream gaming company, you would look at things much the same >> way once you saw the numbers on what it would cost to include >> accessibility for the blind for your next title, versus the few extra >> sales you would get out of it. >> If you really want kick butt games out there for the blind, learn >> some programming, take that great idea you have and make it a reality. >> Trust me, it can be done. I did it, grin. >> You can help in other ways as well. If you bought a game and you >> think it is just the bee's knees, get the word out, let others know >> about it. our main source of marketing is word of mouth, we just need >> more words from your mouth, hehehe. >> Also, , if you are hosting any cracked versions of accessible games >> out there, stop and think a minute about the harm you are doing. It is >> apples and oranges comparing hosting mainstream title cracks versus >> accessible games. In such a small market, even one source of a cracked >> game is very harmful, while the big boys wouldn't even notice it. >> Please, just think about all the man hours that go into these projects >> and think about how you would feel if someone was out there robbing >> from you like that. I know there are more than a few people on this >> list that host cracked accessible games, and I just don't get you guys. >> Finally, rather than just complain about this or that about a title >> in development, provide constructive criticism, all developers want to >> hear how they can make their games better, but just complaining does >> no good to anyone. >> Later >> che >> >> >> >> >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >> gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/gam...@audyssey.org. >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >> list, >> please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. >> > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gam...@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > -- website: Nickhelms.net sip phone number: 360-526-6509 Skype: Nickster919 twitter: Nickster919 --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gam...@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
